This invention relates to an apparatus for transferring heat to food articles and, more particularly, to a novel apparatus particularly adapted for holding previously cooked food articles quite near to a preferred temperature for prolonged time periods, and which can also be employed to initially cook food articles or to complete the cooking of food articles that have been previously partially cooked.
The novel method of cooking and holding food articles for which the present apparatus is utilized is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,210,675, 4,224,862 and 4,278,697 the contents of which are to be incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Briefly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has long determined that there is considerable danger of spoilage and salmonella (food poisoning bacteria) development in food articles which are held for even short periods of time at temperatures ranging between 40.degree. F. and 145.degree. F. Prior art apparatus utilizing, for example, electrically heated air, steam, etc. have encountered problems in attempting to maintain warm food articles held in the apparatus at temperatures above 140.degree. F. within a temperature range of +5.degree. F. without also causing considerable undesired additional cooking or "overcooking" of them as pointed out in the aforementioned patents. The method comprises storing cooked meat or other food articles in a chamber having closure means intended to be repeatedly and frequently opened and closed, supporting the cooked food articles on support means located within the chamber, forcing a heated liquid heat-transferring medium through radiator means located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the support means, and maintaining the humidity within the chamber above that of the atmosphere outside of the chamber and the temperature above 140.degree. F. and within a temperature range of +5.degree. F. The apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned patents for practicing the aforestated method consisted basically of mounting a plurality of support means in vertical stacked relationship to each other. Each of the support means consisted of a plate to which is secured a serpentine coil for transferring the heated fluid. The coils of each support means are connected in series relationship to the pump and the sump containing the heated liquid. The aforedescribed support means, it has been discovered, is both inefficient and expensive to manufacture. The support means were not removable and the serial connection of all of the plates with their serpentine coils results in an unacceptably high pressure loss of fluid flowing through the coil and the necessity of using a large pump. In addition, inefficient heat transfer and poor heat distribution resulted from the prior art design and coil connection.
The support means themselves are also novel in that they are held in vertically, spaced-apart relationship on mounting means secured to the side walls of the cabinet. The support means each consist of an upper flat surface member and a lower surface member spaced from the upper member which, in its preferred form, is tapered to permit condensate water to drain to a removal outlet. The upper and lower members define a hollow, water tight interior. A single conduit member interconnects the interior of each of the support means and it itself is connected at its end to a steam generating means for supplying steam through the conduit means to each support means. The same conduit means also returns condensate water to the steam generating means during operation of a complete cycle. Water in the generating means is heated into steam by an electric heating element which is thermostatically controlled to maintain the food articles at a preselected temperature. Gas could also be used as a heat source.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a superior apparatus for thawing, cooking, and holding food articles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel support for pans containing the food articles.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel single conduit header system for interconnecting a series of support means which ensures an even supply of heating fluid to the support means and the return of condensate water by gravity to the steam generating means thus eliminating the need for a pump.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, which are merely illustrative of the present invention.